The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 78: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BERTRAM VIVIAN 59 strong dominion of self-control during the year which had elapsed since, by the contents of her father’s desk, she had discovered that he was alive; and when Bertram himself, in all his living, breathing beauty, again appeared in her presence, that love was inspired with fullest vitality once more. To be with him, to behold him often and often when all the rest thought that her eyes gazed elsewhere, to breathe the same atmosphere, to hear the melting music of his voice, at times pouring forth its eloquence as if in golden tones, to know that she might have been his, after all, if no duplicity and deceit had sacrificed her, and, what was more still, to have the inward conviction that he loved her even now as much as ever he had loved before, — oh, all this constituted an ordeal fraught with anyuish that was ineffable, with tortures that were harrowing, with an affliction the poignancy of which was crucifying! The Duke of Marchmont was bewildered. At one time he thought one thing, at another time another. Now his conjectures were favourable to his nephew, the next moment they became quite the reverse. He felt as if a scene were passing around him which he could not understand, as if there were some strange mystery, to the reading of which he possessed no possible clue. That things could not go on thus, he felt persuaded; but how was he to interfere? How was he to treat with importance a matter which in reality might have no importance at all? If he made up his mind to speak to his nephew, Bertram at once took the initiative of the discourse, but quite on some other subject, and all his expressions were most dutiful and affectionate toward his uncle. Thus the duke would go away from him, leaving unsaid all he had meant to say. If he spoke to his wife when they were alone together, Eliza still declared that there was nothing in Mr. Bertram’s conduct of which she had to make the slightest complaint; and she even added, in an unguarded moment, ‘ that it was precisely what it ought to be.”” The duke put quite a different construction on her words from that which they ought to have borne, and giving her credit for a delicacy of feeling which, though carried to an extreme, was yet in the right direction, he embraced her with all his uxorious fondness. | It was in the midst of these circumstances that Lord Clandon arrived at Oaklands on the promised visit. The EOAMICLIOOKS (EO)